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Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW)

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​LET'S GET OUTDOORS!


​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Program (BOW) is an international program sponsored in part by the KDFWR and other partners including Kentucky State Parks and the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Foundation. BOW is designed primarily for adult age women interested in building confidence and outdoor skills relevant in hunting and fishing.BOW Logo

Workshops range from 1-3 day events and are held at various locations across Kentucky. Come find out why thousands of women have already participated in this unique opportunity to learn more about hunting, fishing, boating and wildlife- related adventures in the Bluegrass State!


The BOW workshops are for you if...

  • You have never tried these activities, but have hoped for an opportunity to learn.
  • You are a beginner who hopes to improve your skills.
  • You know how to do some of these activities, but would like to try your hand at some new ones.
  • You are just looking for the camaraderie of like-minded individuals.

Some of the classes held at most workshops are...

  • Basics of Archery
  • Wild Game Cooking
  • Basics/Advanced Fishing
  • Introduction to Wild Mushrooms
  • Survival in the Outdoors
  • Edible Wild Plants
  • Basics of Fly Tying
  • Basics of Hunting in KY
  • Pistol Safety
  • Basic Rifle Use and Safety
  • Tree Identification
  • Basic Shotgun and Safety
  • Wildlife ID and Game Tracking

Conducted by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Department of Parks, the Cooperative Extension Service, and the University of Kentucky.

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Contact Us!

Rachel Crume
BOW Program ​Coordinator
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
1 Sportsman's Lane
Frankfort, KY 40601
(502) 892-4404 | Agency: 1-800-858-1549

Email Updates

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2025 Upcoming Events​



Gear Bow Come Back soon graphic

​Annie Oakley Day

Date: June 15, 2024​ - 8am-noon (Eastern)
Location: Fern Creek Sportsman's Club, Louisville Kentucky
Cost: Free, Participants need a valid KY Fishing License

This event will be hosted by the​ Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources and Fern Creek Sportsmen's Club. This will be an un-intimidating and informative introduction to fishing, archery, basic rifles (.22 caliber), and shotguns! This event is designed for ladies to gain confidence with firearms and fishing in a safe environment surrounded by other like-minded individuals! This event is open to all women 18 years and older. Attendees who are ages 16 and 17 years of age can register for the event,​ but they must attend and register with a female attendee who is at least 18 years and older. This event is free, but all participants must have a valid hunting or fishing license at the day of the event. A hunting or fishing license can be purchased on our ​ License and Permit Fees page. Find us on Facebook!

Please check back for ​registration information.​

Register Here​​​



Fall BOW Weekend Workshop

Dates: September 20-22, 2024
Location: Camp Webb, in Grayson, Kentucky

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​​The workshop will be located at Camp Webb, located in Grayson, Kentucky. This is our annual BOW Weekend Workshop that we offer every year for women 18 years and up. Participants will be able to sign up for 4 classes. Each class is roughly 3 hours long. Registration fee also covers meals and lodging for the weekend.​

Participants can sleep in a bunkhouse or bring their own tent/hammock. Ev​eryone has access to use the bathhouses. A registration link will be posted on this website, posted on our Facebook page (@kentuckybow) and sent out in our email list.​​

​​​NEW THIS YEAR! 

Due to the usual high demand during registration, we are going to separate the registration from the class selection.

On July 29th at 9am - Registration for the BOW weekend begins. If you have already registered for the Kayak Fishing course, you WOULD NOT need to register for the BOW weekend.

​July 30th at 9am - If you completed registration for the BOW weekend or Kayak Fishing Class, you will receive an email from ​Megan Bagby (megan.bagby@ky.gov)with the link to complete the class selection. You will have until August 1st at 11:59pm (eastern) to complete your class selection. At this point you will pay the weekend fee of $1​50.​

Registration for the Kayak Fishing class is now closed.
BOW weekend event registration will begin July 29th at 9am (EST).​


 ​ Wait List Registration

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Woman holding up a large bass

Becoming an Outdoors Woman



2023 BOW Workshop Pictures​​ ​ - Photograph series taken by Rachel Cummings.

An instructor showing a student how to fire a bow ​

Megan standing and speaking to a cafeteria full of people​​​ An instructor standing and presenting to a seated audience under a porch ​​​​
An instructor explaining a shotgun to a seated class ​​
A student firing a rifle down a rifle range ​
A student walking through the woods holding a bug net. 
A yellow mushroom in the woods 
two women happy walking and talking together 
Students firing bows in an archery course 
A kayaker floating in a lake 
A kayaker floating and fishing in a lake 
An instructor showing a student how to fire a bow from the back facing the archery range 
students in tall overgrowth 
A hand holding a small butterfly​​​ A woman firing down a handgun down an archery range​ ​​​​
bobbers on fishing poles ​​